Man Jailed For Five Armed Robbery Offences

Wednesday 19th Dec 2018

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A Birmingham man has been jailed for armed robberies carried out across Birmingham during a two week period.

James Martin, age 31, of Flaxley Road, Stechford, pleaded guilty to five armed robbery offences and five counts of using an imitation firearm at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday (8 October) and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Martin has been jailed for 15 years

During a two week period, from 22 August to 3 September 2018, Martin carried out five robberies at betting shops across Birmingham, where he threatened members of staff with an imitation firearm, demanding they hand over money from the tills.

Officers were able to link Martin to all five offences after he was caught on CCTV carrying the same ‘Amazon Prime’ bag and wearing a motorbike helmet. And three days later, Martin was stopped in his car and arrested on suspicion of robbery.

His home was searched and officers recovered the Amazon Prime bag, as well as the makeshift weapon which turned out to be scaffolding wrapped in tape.

DC Andrew Barker-Ellis from Force CID, said: “In every cowardly act committed by Martin, he wore motorbike helmets in an attempt to conceal his identity and threaten people with what they believed was a gun, stealing a total of £6000 in the matter of days.

“This would have been a terrifying experience for the people working in these shops and we hope that they will find some comfort knowing he is now behind bars.”